Tessitura: More Than Your Average Software Conference

Contributed by Lisa McColgan, Annual Fund Coordinator

 

I recently got back from a software conference where - in addition to making a presentation in which the red sheep from Candide were prominently featured - I ate meals in a giant ballroom with around 1,200 arts administrators, pocketed several teeny-weeny bottles of Tabasco from the buffet line, and performed in a rock band on the flight deck of the storied USS Midway.

One generally doesn't equate "software conference" with "a real good time." That is, unless one works with Tessitura.

Tessitura is "the leading enterprise-wide, fully integrated software system for arts and cultural organizations." It was originally developed by, and for, The Metropolitan Opera. Once they realized what a good thing they had, they decided it would be silly not to share it. The Huntington has been using Tessitura since 2004. How popular is it becoming? Well, at the first Tessitura conference I attended (here in Boston in 2005), there were 550 attendees representing about 90 organizations. This year, in San Diego, there were over 1,200 folks from over 350 organizations in 6 different countries. Chances are, if you've bought a ticket, made a donation, or asked to be sent information about an upcoming performance, you've indirectly dealt with Tessitura.

Spectacular! Huntington Fundraiser

Contributed by Lisa McColgan

A “spectacular” evening was had by all on Sunday evening, April 24, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel at this year’s Spotlight Spectacular! fundraiser.

“The look this year is fun and happy,” said event producer Bryan Rafanelli, who served as Spectacular! Event Co-Chair with Carol Deane. In keeping with that theme, the Sheraton’s Grand Ballroom was bright and festive, with potted orange begonias and trays of green wheatgrass serving as centerpieces for the tables. Many guests left with begonias, but a few creative souls were also seen departing with the grass. We didn’t ask.

At this year's event, The Wimberly Award, the Huntington's highest honor, was presented to recent Tony Award nominee Kenny Leon, who completed his seventh production for the Huntington with the hugely popular and acclaimed Stick Fly. Also honored was Bank of America, the Huntington's Education and Access Partner, which has been a dedicated, long-time supporter of the Huntington and has recently deepened its commitment to our Education and Access programs.

Once again, the Huntington offered a wide array of exciting items and packages for its Live and Silent Auctions, including a party for 30 guests on the set of the PBS hit America's Test Kitchen, specially-created paintings from area artists, and a walk-on role in the upcoming 20th Century Fox comedy What’s Your Number? As in years past, our “Auctioneer Extraordinaire” was Board President Bill “the Velvet Hammer” McQuillan, who strode majestically into the ballroom dressed like a sheik as the theme from “Lawrence of Arabia” boomed overhead. Now we must figure out next year’s getup. Hee-hee!

Supporters and friends enjoyed performances by renowned stage, film and television performer Jasmine Guy (who was beautifully accompanied by members of the Boston Pops Gospel Choir), and heard a recitation from “Poetry Out Loud” finalist Amose Pierre, a student at Dorchester’s Codman Academy (the Huntington, as you may know, has had a longstanding partnership with this charter school.). New this year was the addition of a live band, Eye2Eye, who played throughout the evening. Guests, honorees and staff ended the night with a raucous impromptu dance party (Event Co-Chair Carol Deane even took the stage with the band to sing along on Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” I was not the only one who was wicked impressed!). Many other Trustees, Overseers and guests were out there getting jiggy with it. Personally, I thought this was a great way to end the night. It’s not often that the whole “family” – staff, Board and supporters – can get together, celebrate our accomplishments, and just have fun.

[Did you miss gettin' your groove on? Enjoy this video medley from EYE2EYE]


The proceeds from this annual benefit help to sustain the programs of the Huntington, including its award-winning Youth, Education, and Community initiatives. And hey -- it’s not too late to help support these vital programs! To make a contribution, please click to visit us here!  Pretty please?

HPF iPlays: Boston writers take on audio plays

Contributed by Charles Haugland

For the Emerging America Festival, we issued an audio play challenge to all the current and former members of the Huntington Playwriting Fellows program. In collaboration with the other participating organizations, we gave them a few restrictions and ideas.

The only non-negotiables were that we wanted:
- an audio “play”
- less than ten minutes
- performed in the playwright’s own voice
- designed to be listened to in the close vicinity of one of the three participating venues: the Calderwood Pavilion in the South End, the ART in Harvard Square, and the ICA at the Harbor

Seven playwrights took us up on the challenge. What has been fascinating about the process is how differently each playwright interpreted the challenge. Listening to all seven becomes a tasting menu of these playwrights’ voices, one where the site-specific restrictions of the challenge bring out each playwright’s unique spin and point of view. And, because it is recorded in the playwright's own voice, you get a chance to hear their work just the way they imagine it.

The plays went live yesterday. To listen, download them as podcasts at emergingamericafestival.org/podcasts.html OR listen to them the weekend of the festival (May 14-16, 2010) by calling 215.525.1043 where an audio menu will guide you. There are also podcasts from our partners at the ICA and (coming soon) the ART.

Here's a sneak peek at each of the HPFs' plays:

I AM NOT INVISIBLE (5:51) by Pat Gabridge (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen on the brick plaza in front of the BCA.
Maybe you should pay more attention to the people behind you in the supermarket. You might have ignored and pissed off the wrong man, someone who has chosen to creep closer. Much closer.

JILL AND DELILAH (6:59) by Kirsten Greenidge (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen in Harvard Square, standing next to the Co-op.
Eavesdrop on a private conversation between sisters, and examine the space between checking out of your life and checking back in again.
Performed with actress Marvelyn McFarlane

TEA (7:12) by Martha Jane Kaufman (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen on the wooden steps behind the ICA, facing the harbor.
Slippage abounds between two very different "tea parties." Found text blurs the line between the dissenters and the terrorists, your patriotism and your ambivalence.

FLANNERY O'CONNOR GOOGLE (7:14) by John Kuntz (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen on the wooden steps behind the ICA, facing the harbor.
John Kuntz is talking directly to you. But, is that really John Kuntz? And, is that really you? And, what about the things he asks you to do...?

HELEN HANGS UP (10:14) by Ryan Landry (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen in the Eagle, drinking at the bar.
A few cocktails (and this short monologue) will give you all the courage it takes to drunk dial your ex and let 'em have it!

HAL'S HAVEN (8:20) by Rebekah Maggor (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen in the passageway adjacent to number 2 Arrow Street in Cambridge between Mt. Auburn Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
Your neighborhood changes when a nightclub moves in. One local grandmother takes a late night stand against ivy-league party kids and drunken professionals.

REAL TIME ENCOUNTER (2:45) by Ken Urban (Huntington Playwriting Fellow)
Listen in the MBTA Station at Back Bay, Dartmouth entrance.
Wait patiently in the station to meet up with Pat. Or, at least he told you that was his name online.

Peter DuBois also gives an irreverent and epicurean walking tour of the South End, where he lives. Check it out, too:

WALKING TOUR (21:29) with Peter DuBois (Artistic Director of the Huntington Theatre Company)
Begin at the Calderwood Pavilion, hub for HTC Emerging America events
Join Peter DuBois for stories about his home turf from stores to parks to restaurants. Watch out for large birds and firefighters. And your waistline.

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Becky Shaw opening Night

Contributed by Lisa McColgan (photo left)

 The Lane-Comley Studio 210 at the BU Theatre complex was transformed into a festive event space for the Opening Night pre-performance dinner of Becky Shaw this past Wednesday night.

Huntington Trustees, Overseers, Opening Night sponsors and members of the Huntington Circle and other VIPs joined Becky Shaw playwright Gina Gionfriddo and Artistic Director Peter DuBois for this special celebration.

Opening Night dinners are a chance for our Board members, donors and Production Sponsors to gather prior to curtain, have a relaxing dinner and drinks, network with friends old and new, and get to know some of the talented artists and staff members behind-the-scenes. Often, guests are given a little “inside baseball” regarding the production they’re about to see: something in the script or on the set to be on the lookout for, or interesting insight into the creation of the production, the artistic process or one of the cast members.

Artistic Director Peter DuBois addressed the eighty or so guests talking about his relationship with Becky Shaw playwright Gina Gionfriddo (photo right). The pair first met as grad students at Brown University and have worked on the play together since 2008 when it had it's premiere at the Humana Festival. “We’ll talk about what’s going on in our personal lives or with friends and their dating lives, and she’ll have a read on situations where it’s like, Whoa! That actually sounds correct - and terrifying!’’ said DuBois  “She’ll come up with a psychological read that always astonishes me in its brutal honesty. Gina sees the darker motivations of human behavior very clearly, and then she puts it in the mouths of the characters.’’

The food was provided by Max Ultimate Food and the Salmon was delicious!

For more information about attending the Huntington’s Opening Night dinners, or to join the Huntington Circle, our most generous donors, or for production sponsorship opportunities, please contact Meg White, Director of Major Gifts, at 617 273-1596 or mwhite@huntingtontheatre.bu.edu.

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The Huntington Theatre Company's production of Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo directed by the Huntington's Artistic Director Peter DuBois is playing at the Huntington's mainstage The Boston University Theatre at 264 Huntington Ave Boston MA 02115 now thru April 4th. Tickets available online 24/7 and by visiting or calling our box office locations. 

Stick Fly - Invited Dress Rehearsal

Today we welcome a new voice to the Huntington's blog - staffer Lisa McColgan, the Huntington's Annual fund Coordinator. Thanks Lisa!

This past Thursday, we invited a number of special guests (including Board members, donors, and community leaders) to the Calderwood Pavilion to witness the final dress rehearsal of Stick Fly.

This “Invited Dress” marks the end of one stage of the theatrical process (rehearsing) and signifies the beginning of another (preview performances in front of a live audience). It begins the process of really learning how a show comes to life with an audience, and to make final adjustments to the technical elements before opening night. For an invited audience member, it’s a unique opportunity to see a production before it opens to the general public. “Tech tables” are still up throughout the house, staff members are scribbling notes, and sometimes, the performance is stopped to make adjustments in lighting or blocking. It’s a fascinating glimpse into what goes into the productions here.

For the actors, having a small audience can be very helpful. Will people laugh at this line? How will they react to this scene? In a sense, it’s a “sneak preview” for our actors as well!

It’s valuable for the staff, too, to be able to speak with our supporters and hear about what they love and answer any questions. I had a great time speaking with a couple that have been donors and subscribers since our very first season, who told me that they make it a point to see as many Arthur Miller plays as they can, since their first date at a production of The Price. Our staging of All My Sons, they happily reported, was the best they’d ever seen.

Stick Fly’s final dress rehearsal was an exciting and intimate evening for everyone involved. Several guests remarked how much they appreciated feeling a part of the process.

Invitations to our “Invited Dress” are one of the many benefits of being an Annual Fund supporter. If you would like more information, or to make a gift, please contact me here in the Development Office at 617 273-1546.

-Lisa McColgan (photo above), Annual Fund Coordinator

(L to R) Jacie Wallace, John Turner, Linda Turner, Ron Watters, Linda Watters, Debbie Todd, Jonathan Todd, James Owens from the Omegas at Thursday's Invited Dress

Did you attend the invited dress rehearsal? Share your thoughts with us: Comment on this post

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of Stick Fly by Lydia Diamond is playing February 19 through March 28, 2010 at our second space, the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St Boston MA 02116. Online tickets and information available 24/7 or call our Box Office (click for hours this week) at 617 266-0800.